Drive mechanism for automatically varying the vertical and horizontalthrowing angles of a target trap

ABSTRACT

A trap is described for ejecting disc-shaped members, otherwise shown as clay pigeons. The trap has a throwing arm for the clay pigeons, said arm being pivotably mounted on a frame which is oscillated about a vertical axis by an electric motor via a transmission mechanism and is further oscillated about a horizontal axis by another electric motor via another transmission mechanism. The latter mechanism is adapted to control the first-mentioned motor in such a way that this motor is intermittently stopped and started, whereby an irregularity is introduced in the pigeon throwing cycle.

United States Patent [191 Hansen [54] DRIVE MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY VARYING THE VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL THROWING ANGLES OF A TARGET TRAP [76] Inventor: Ib Schreiner Hansen, Aaso, 5953 Tranekaer, Denmark [22] Filed: .Oct.2l, 1970 [21] App1.No.: 82,597

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 21, 1969 Sweden ..l4432/69 [52] U.S. Cl ..124/9, 124/32 [51] Int. Cl ..F41b 3/04 [58] Field oi Search ..l24/7, 8, 9, 36, 32, 43, 16,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,666,424 1 1954 Foster ..124 9 Mar. 27, 1973 Woolsey ..124/9 2,668,526 2/1954 2,934,056 4/1960 Lauterbach.,. ..l24/9 3,225,754 12/1965 Foster ..l24/9 3,421,491 l/l969 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistarit Examiner-William R. Browne Attorney-Waters, Roditi, Schwartz & Nissen [57] ABSTRACT A trap is described for ejecting disc-shaped members,

otherwise shown as clay pigeons. The trap has a throwing arm for the clay pigeons, said arm being pivotably mounted on a frame which is oscillated about a vertical axis by an electric motor via a transmission mechanism and is further oscillated about a horizontal axis by another electric motor via another transmission mechanism. The latter mechanism is adapted to control the first-mentioned motor in such a way that this motor is intermittently stopped and started, whereby an irregularity is introduced in the pigeon throwing cycle.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Brown 1 24/9 PATENTEUHARZ? 191s SHEET 2 BF 2 awk DRIVE MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY VARYING TIIE VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL TIIROWING ANGLES OF A TARGET TRAP The invention relates to a trap for ejecting discshaped members, also known as clay pigeons, for use in target practice. The trap of the invention consists of a frame in which a throwing arm pivotable about an upright axis is adapted to be swung outwardly from a position in which the throwing arm is locked to the frame so as to throw out a clay pigeon, which is transferred to a depositing surface on the inner end of the arm from a magazine. The said frame is supported on a fixed base portion in such manner as to be pivotable about a substantially vertical axis, in addition to which there is provided a mechanism driven by an electric motor and adapted to turn the frame to and fro within a specific angular range in which the clay pigeon may be ejected at any desired time by activation of a release mechanism. The frame is further pivotably supported about a horizontal axis and connected with a mechanism which is driven by an electric motor and which is so adapted as to turn the frame several times to and fro about the horizontal axis within a specific angular range during each turning of the frame about the vertical axis so that the clay pigeons are ejected in directions forming different angles with a horizontal plane.

With such traps, the clay pigeons are ejected in many different directions usually unexpected to the person shooting, which renders the practice more difficult. Since the frame is moving regularly to and fro in lateral direction and also up and down, it is possible that the clay pigeons will be ejected in a specific cycle with which the person shooting may become more or less familiar as the practice proceeds, so that the surprise effect is diminished.

To improve the effect of the trap in this respect, and adapt the same that it becomes more difficult to predetermine the direction of ejection, the two movements of the frame of the device may be controlled by means of a programming system, which, however, means a substantial increase in the cost of the trap.

The present invention has as an object the provision of a highly increased camouflaging of the directions of ejection by very simple means which involve only a very moderate cost.

This is accomplished therein that the mechanism turning the frame about its horizontal axis has an activating member adapted to engage an electric switch which, again, is adapted to stop the electric motor driving the mechanism for turning the frame about its vertical axis.

By this arrangement, a very substantial increase in the camouflaging of the ejection is obtained. Since the two movements of the frame have no relation to each other, each of them being caused by its separate electric motor and its separate mechanism of transmission, a suspension of one movement, that is, the slower movement about the vertical axis caused by the other movement, will effect an irregularity which in most sections of the ejection zone will render pre-calculation of the direction of ejection of the next clay pigeon impossible.

One embodiment employs, as the activating member, a gear wheel, and by means of a groove which forms a curve path it is possible in simple manner to provide any desired activating cycle for an electric switch which is thus activated one or more times during each revolution of the gear wheel and at various intervals in relation to each other.

A trap provided according to the invention will now be described with reference to the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a trap range, viewed from the side,

FIG. 2 is a top view of same,

FIG. 3 is a side view of a part of the trap, partly in section,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the trap, and

FIG. 5 is another perspective view of the trap viewed from another side.

According to FIG. 1, the trap range consists of a chamber 2 arranged beneath the ground surface 1, in which chamber there is provided an ejecting trap 3 which is adapted to throw out clay pigeons in a direction to the right in FIG. 1. The sportsman shooting at the trap ejected targets is placed on platforms 4 behind the trap 3, which is adapted to rotate in two directions so that the clay pigeons are ejected in a zone indicated by stippled lines in FIGS. 1 and 2, and it appears that the angle between the extreme directions of ejection in horizontal projection according to FIG. 2 is about whereas the angle between the extreme directions of ejection viewed in a vertical projection according to FIG 1 is only about 12.

The trap 3, which is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, has a frame 5 supported on a base portion 6 which is attached to a concrete base. The frame 5 is through a horizontal shaft 7 supported by a member (not shown) which by means of a vertical rotational shaft (not shown) is carried by the base portion 6. The frame 5 is thus rotatable partly about the said vertical axis of rotation, partly about the horizontal rotational shaft 7.

The said member on which the frame 5 is supported by means of the shaft 7 is by means of an arm 8 adjustably and pivotably connected with a guide 9 which is rigidly connected with a gear wheel 10 in engagement with a smaller gear wheel 11. The said gear wheel 11 is driven by an electric motor mounted in the base portion 6. By means of the mechanism described, the frame 5 is turned to and fro about the vertical shaft (not shown), which produces the movement illustrated in FIG. 2 by the two stippled lines which indicate the extreme directions of ejection.

At the same time the frame is swung upwards and downwards about the horizontal shaft 7, since the said member (not shown), which carries the shaft 7, is rigidly connected with an arm 12 which is pivotably connected with a connecting rod 13 that is pivotably connected with a gear wheel 14 in engagement with a smaller gear wheel 15 of an electric motor 16 mounted on the frame 5. By means of the electric motor 16 and the mechanism described the frame is moved up and down by a rotation about the shaft 7, by which the movement illustrated by the stippled lines in FIG. 1 is caused.

The trap and its ejecting means and magazine described in the foregoing are disclosed in US. Pat. application Ser. No. 801,221, and in the following the parts that have no relevance to the present invention will therefore only be dealt with briefly.

The frame carries a stack of circularly arranged targets such as clay pigeons which, when a turntable 16 is rotated by means of an electric motor (not shown), are passed on in turn to a feeding device adapted to transfer a clay pigeon down onto the inner end of a throwing arm 17 which by means of a spring that may be released by means of an electric pulse is subjected to a violent swinging movement resulting in the ejection of the clay pigeon.

The apparatus acts thus in the way that the frame with the throwing arm 17 rotates automatically, partly about a horizontal axis and partly about a vertical axis, performing regular reciprocations. The tensioned throwing arm 17 may be released at any time by means of an electric pulse so that a clay pigeon is ejected in a direction corresponding to the position of the frame 5 at any given moment.

According to the present invention the electric circuit of the electric motor driving the gear wheel 11 is connected with a microswitch 18 (FIG. 3) which has a spring-loaded activating pin 19 accommodated in a groove 20 provided in one side surface of the gear wheel 14. The bottom of the groove 20 is formed with a varying height, and upon rotation of the gear wheel 14 the pin 19 will be moved in and out, dependent upon the form of the curve path. By means of this mechanism it is possible to stop the driving motor of the gear wheel 11 one or more times during each rotation of the gear wheel 14 and for any desired interval of time.

With the arrangement according to the invention the mode of operation of the apparatus will be changed, the two continuous, predetermined movements of the frame 5 being substituted by a continuous movement of the frame about the shaft 7, and an intermittent movement about the vertical axis. Since the two movements are not in any permanent relation to each other, the irregularity introduced will involve that the movement of the ejected clay pigeons will be difficult to predict.

I claim:

I. [n a trap including means for the supply of discshaped members, an arm for receiving said disc-shaped members from said means and ejecting the same, and a frame supporting said arm and displaceable about two generally perpendicularly related axes to control the ejection of the disc-shaped members throughout two ranges related to respective of said axes; the improvement comprising separate motors for driving said frame to and fro with respect to respective of said axes, first and second connecting means for connecting said motors to said frame so that the frame can be driven with respect to said axes, and control means responsive to one of said connecting means to control the actuation of the motor connected to the other of said connecting means whereby the latter said motor can be turned on and off.

2. The improvement claimed in claim 1 wherein said motors are electric motors and said control means is a switch.

3. The improvement claimed in claim 2 wherein said one connecting means includes at least one rotatable wheel-shaped member for transferring power from the associated motor and having one face provided with a groove of varying depth, said switch including an actuator positioned in said groove and controlled by the depth of the latter. 

1. In a trap including means for the supply of disc-shaped members, an arm for receiving said disc-shaped members from said means and ejecting the same, and a frame supporting said arm and displaceable about two generally perpendicularly related axes to control the ejection of the disc-shaped members throughout two ranges related to respective of said axes; the improvement comprising separate motors for driving said frame to and fro with respect to respective of said axes, first and second connecting means for connecting said motors to said frame so that the frame can be driven with respect to said axes, and control means responsive to one of said connecting means to control the actuation of the motor connected to the other of said connecting means whereby the latter said motor can be turned on and off.
 2. The improvement claimed in claim 1 wherein said motors are electric motors and said control means is a switch.
 3. The improvement claimed in claim 2 wherein said one connecting means includes at least one rotatable wheel-shaped member for transferring power from the associated motor and having one face provided with a groove of varying depth, said switch including an actuator positioned in said groove and controlled by the depth of the latter. 